"I am so gonna kill you when I get out of this." If I get out of this. I started walking blindly in the maze. I kept walking and walking, but I still couldn't find the way out. I always admire Mazes and I was pretty good at it if I wasn't the one in it.

Heck, I am a woman with no sense of direction and that jerk just threw me into a maze! That is equivalent to a lifetime of prison for me.

"Rose?" It was Fred's voice. And it was coming somewhere in the maze too. That's it! Fred! He might know a way out.
I was suddenly forgetting all my indifference towards him for the thought of getting out of this maze. I was getting claustrophobic and I am one minute away from screaming in panic.

"Fred? Where are you?" I asked.

"Over here!" He called out and I turned from corner to corner as I tried to follow his voice in the maze.

"Fred?"

"Rose?"

I kept running and I am guessing he is trying to find me too. One time I heard him on the other side of the hedge and a minute later, he was hedged away from me. I have a feeling that we were going around in circles calling for each other.

"FRED!"

"ROSE!"

Where is he!?

"Fred?"

No answer. Did he give up and cry?

"FRED."

No answer again.

Ugh!! This is making me sick. What if I just play football and tackle this hedge, go straight, until I find my way out. Sure it would destroy their fancy garden, but I am certain that they would rather fix it than find a dead body in it, right?

I braced myself and faced my shoulder to the hedge to my right as I readied myself to tackle it. "Alright then. One, two, three-!" I was just about to make contact with the hedge when I saw a yellow bob of light like a firefly headed my way. It hovered over my face and I shooed it away with my hand but it was still bugging me. It was getting really annoying that I karate chopped it. "Hiya!"

It dodged my attack.

"Rose?" I turned to the side to see Fred coming out of a corner panting. His blonde hair was a mess and he was only wearing a white button down polo shirt with brown khaki pants. His shirt was sweaty and I could see droplets of sweat coming down from his forehead to the side of his left swollen cheek. He looked relieved when he saw me and I could wager that I mirrored his look.

He suddenly ran towards me and engulfed me in a hug. I could smell his familiar scent despite the dirt and sweat on him. To me, this was the Fred that I know.

"I'm sorry." He started to say. "I'm so sorry, Rose. For everything. For making you cry. I don't mean any of it. I swear. Just please, talk to me again. Don't hate me. Please." The last part came out as a soft whisper and I couldn't help but smile as I hugged him back. It really is him. He's back.

I ran my finger though his golden locks and said, "I know, Fred. I know." Fred moved back and looked at me with those childlike eyes and stared at me in wonder. I laughed. "I heard you last night."

Fred looked surprised and his mouth formed an 'O'. I guess he really has no idea that I was pretending to be asleep. Fred blushed in which I never thought I would see him do. He's embarrassed, but he was still looking at me and I realized that he was waiting for my reply.

"I forgive you." I said.

As soon as I said those three words, I saw him smile again. That very smile that I miss him wears so much.

"So you understand my situation?" He asked.

"Yes. I do now. And I understand." I said. "I'm sorry too for acting so rash and coming here. I hope I did not cause you any trouble."

He laughed and gently brushed my hair out with his fingers. "Funny. You've been causing me trouble since day one."

"What?"

"Nothing."

I pouted. "You're ugly."

He laughed again. "I miss that. I miss you too." He said and he laced our fingers together before me looked at me with uncertainty. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Can you have one last dance before you go?" His grip on my hand tightened. The word 'last' seemed to trigger something in me and leaves a strange feeling. An unpleasant feeling.

Looking at him in the eye, I nodded. "Of course."

That made him smile. And it was not a happy one. Ever so gently, he started to position us into the proper dance position. I felt nostalgic and remembered the days of our lesson. How many times have we dance during those times, how many times I stepped on his foot, how many times he laugh at my mistakes, how many times he healed my blisters, and how many times we
made eye contact. I started to recall them all.

Fred then started to hum a familiar tune.
"Fred, is that-"
"Shh." He said. "I remember the song. And maintain eye contact. I can't believe how easily you forget that one." A sad smile appeared on his lips.

I nodded and pursed my lips as I looked at him in the eye. Fred continued humming and I had to blink hard and fast to keep the tears at bay.

Fred started singing and I recognized that song. It was the very first song that we did the waltz together with a full song. Only this time, Fred was singing the song. There was no music. Only Fred's voice. His voice was beautiful and I could feel everything in it. I could feel his emotion in every word.

I know, because his eyes reflect the same emotions too and I am staring at them.

I looked to the side and let out a sigh from the bottled up emotion inside of me. Fred used his hand as he made me face him again and smiled sadly as if he understood. He continued.

I tightened my hold on his hand and his shoulder and he did the same. It was like he was passing on some of his strength to me to finish this dance.

A single tear fell from my cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb. And then Fred started to hum and I just focused on his voice as we danced in circles inside the maze. No one was there but us. We were stuck in our own room with only each other as our company. I accidentally stepped on his foot and bit my lips in embarrassment at my mistake.

"Sorry." I said.

He chuckled and started humming again. It suddenly made me remember the first time I stepped on his foot by accident. I felt a sense of nostalgia. It was like that memory happened eons ago.

I started to cry. "I'm sorry." This time I apologize to him not because I stepped on his foot, but because it was too much for me to keep eye contact with him without remembering the times that we danced in the palace. Those were some good memories that I know will never happen again.

Fred seemed to understand because he placed one hand behind my head and pulled me close to his chest while I cried.
"Of all the songs, why this?"

He carefully stroked my hair. We were still doing the waltz as he continued to sing. This time, his voice was a little more softer.

My hands balled into his shirt. My tears just won't stop. I could tell that he was having a hard time singing because his voice faltered for a bit.

He pulled me closer to him. Tightly and I heard him breath. I heard him take in a deep breath as he sang the next lyrics.
I could tell that the dance was almost over since we were starting to slow down. "Please let this not be goodbye." He sang it in an ending tone and I looked up to him knowing that there was more in the lyrics.

Fred met my gaze and shook his head at me. "This is goodbye now. I can't sing the last part or it would just make things harder." He brushed some hair out of my face. He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

I closed my eyes at the kiss. I bit my lower lip and tasted salty tears. I reached up and whipped the tears on my eyes.

Fred stepped back and I saw his eyes glistening with tears. When he blinked they were gone. "Goodbye, Rose." He said.

We stood there for a few more seconds until I realized that he was waiting for me to reply. Taking a deep breath I looked up at him in the eyes. I tried to be brave and tried to smile at him. "Goodbye, Fred." My voice cracked at the words and I started crying again. We hugged each other, knowing that this really is the end.

Fred chuckled. "Stop crying." He said and whipped tears from my eyes again. "The others might think that I was being a jerk to you again.

Although PRINCE Ace didn't say anything, I know that he disapproved of the way I treated you yesterday."

I laughed a little at that. "I kind of told him." I admitted.

Fred nodded at me and looked up. "I think the others are waiting for you right now." He said and started to chant words that I could not understand. Suddenly, a yellow light appeared out of thin air that floated above my head. "It will lead you to the way out. Follow it."

"Fred-"

"Go." He smiled. "I'm alright. I'm going to be okay now, Rose. I talked to the others already before PRINCE Ace threw me in the maze looking pissed. And let me tell you, Ren threw quite a punch there. Nate and Dan had to hold him back." He laughed and I couldn't help but join him too.

So that explains why his upper cheek bone looks swollen and starting to turn purple.

Seeing Fred again, the normal Fred, I suddenly felt content. It was like the problem was already settled and I have a feeling that we can now go and continue living in the palace even without Fred. It's his decision to stay and I should respect it.

Maybe the nymphs wanted for us to resolve our unspoken feelings. Maybe this is why I was lured here.

Wiping the remaining tears from my eyes, I looked up at him and was finally able to give him a full smile. "Alright. I'm off then."

I started to turn around and leave – the floating light looked antsy to leave anyway – but Fred called. I paused and turned to look at him.

He grinned. "When I will be king and if you decided to...." He trailed off and shook his head. "Just expect that there will be changes in our culture and if you're still here, I hope to be able to be by your side." He said.

I blinked at him. Stunned at what I have just heard and would have ask more if Fred didn't point at the hovering light that was getting farther and farther away that I would lose it if I don't catch up soon.

I looked at him one last time before I turned around and followed the light. It started to turn from corner to corner. Turning here and there in the maze until I was finally out of the maze. As soon as I got out, the light flickered and vanished.

"Took you long enough." A voice said at my side and I turned to see Ace leaning on one of the statues by the maze with his arms crossed over his chest.

Was he waiting for me?

Ace got up and headed in my direction. As soon as he stopped in front of me, I saw his face scrunch up in disgust as his lips drew back. "What is wrong with your face?"

I touched my face consciously. "What about it?"

"You look like you cried but you have a stupid looking goofy smile plastered on your face." He said and moved back from me like I was so disgusting that he could not stand being near me.

I gave him a smug smile. "It's because I'm so beautiful." I told him. I know I heard him say it. He did say it. Whatever he said to me just made my ego grow. But then again, why do I have a feeling that I was dumped and confessed to at the same time? It was like adding +1 plus -1 in my ego chart.

That makes it back to zero.

"I think you must have eaten something bad during breakfast because you are being delusional."

"Hey!" I protested and Ace looked away and started coughing loudly. He started to turn sickly pale again. "Ace?"

What's wrong with him?

Ace stopped coughing and turned his back on me and started walking away. He paused and turned in my direction. "You said goodbye to him, right?"

I nodded.

"Good." He said. "Let's get going." With that he turned his back on me and headed for off without even waiting for me.

I started to follow him, but paused as I looked back into the maze. With the absence of Fred in Thalia, I know that things would never ever be the same again for us. His mere jolly and calming presence is already a great deal in helping me adjust to the palace. He was one of the few people I find the most comfort in.

Now that he's not around anymore, what would living in the palace be like?

"Ros!" I turned around to see Nate, Ren, and Dan running towards me. "Prince Ace told us where you were and I just had to come." Said Nate and held my hand dramatically in his.

"He said that if you won't show up in a minute, then we'll leave you behind." Ren said.

"Correction. Ren rushed in while we were taking our time." Dan wiggled his eyebrow and Ren while slapping Nate's hand from mine.

"Brother, we all rushed in at the same time."

"What the heck was that all about?!" Screamed an angry Nate from being slapped.

And with that, they started a three way argument among each other. Watching them there made me realize something.

Sure, living in the palace without Fred would be hard; different. But that doesn't make it bad or lonely. Even though he won't be there anymore and I lost my prime candidate for the king, at least I still have the others with me. That even though I can be a pain sometimes they still stuck with me. They supported me. Ace included.

If that isn't what you would call lucky then I don't know what is.

Funny how I never noticed it before until now.

"Hey." I started and stood between the three to cut off their argument about a missing sock and flying potato. I looked at each one of them. "Didn't you say that we need to be back before the minute ends?"

They nodded.

"Well then. We better run because I think the minute is almost over and I am guessing that Ace is already on his horse and ready to leave."

They exchanged glances before realization hit them.

"Uh crap!"

"Better run!"

"Rose, let's go!!"

With that, we started to run.

So long, Fred. I know you'll be a great king someday.